1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for surgically treating tissue. In particular, the disclosure relates to a mechanism for orienting and operating a pair of jaw members by selectively inducing either independent or concurrent motion of the jaw members.
2. Background of Related Art
Instruments such as electrosurgical forceps are commonly used in open and endoscopic surgical procedures to coagulate, cauterize and seal tissue. Such forceps typically include a pair of jaw members that can be controlled by a surgeon to grasp targeted tissue, such as, e.g., a blood vessel. The jaw members may be approximated to apply a mechanical clamping force to the tissue, and are associated with at least one electrode to permit the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue. The combination of the mechanical clamping force and the electrosurgical energy has been demonstrated to join adjacent layers of tissue captured between the jaw members. When the adjacent layers of tissue include the walls of a blood vessel, sealing the tissue may result in hemostasis, which may facilitate the transection of the sealed tissue. A detailed discussion of the use of an electrosurgical forceps may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,697 to Dycus et al.
Endoscopic forceps are typically provided with a pair of jaw members pivotally coupled to a distal end of an elongated shaft about a pivot axis. Often the jaw members may be induced to pivot between open and closed configurations in one of two manners. Some forceps are configured for unilateral jaw motion, wherein one jaw remains stationary relative to the distal end of the elongated shaft while the other jaw member pivots to open and close the jaws. Other forceps are configured for bilateral jaw motion, wherein both of the jaw members move relative to the distal end of the elongated shaft. A surgeon may have a preference for one of these modes of jaw motion over the other, and some surgical procedures may be more conveniently accomplished with one mode than the other.
Also, a surgeon may be inclined to articulate or orient the jaw members relative to the distal end of the elongated shaft. Articulation of the jaw members may be accomplished by pivoting the jaw members about the same pivot axis that the jaw members pivot about to move between the open and closed configurations. In this manner, the jaw members may be appropriately oriented to engage tissue, and may also be aligned with the elongated shaft to facilitate insertion or withdrawal of the jaw members from a surgical site. It may be advantageous to provide a surgical instrument that permits articulation of the jaw members, while providing selectivity between unilateral and bilateral jaw motion.